


Feeling Something Safe

by ShandyCandy278



Series: Ink Gets a Soul [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Error’s worried, Fluff, Ink Has A Soul, Ink wants to try everything, M/M, Nothing Sexual, Souls, holding souls, i want to explore this concept, there will be at least two more, warm feelings, yes there is another part for this series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:46:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22342804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShandyCandy278/pseuds/ShandyCandy278
Summary: Ink had only held Error’s soul once before.Now that he has his own, he wants Error to hold his.
Relationships: Errink
Series: Ink Gets a Soul [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599916
Comments: 31
Kudos: 234





	Feeling Something Safe

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive me for any mistakes- my computer’s dead and I edit better when I’m on there in comparison to my phone.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

There was one time, just one, in the entirety of their relationship where they had done something that was more intimate than cuddles and forehead kisses.

 _“I wonder what a soul would feel like in my hands.”_ He had admitted one day while they were watching Undernovela. _“Like- it pulses magic, right? If I held someone’s soul, would I be able to feel their magic? Or if I had one, would I be able to feel my own magic? Would it be warm, or something else? Is it actually soft and squishy? What does it feel like overall?”_

Of course, he had only been asking to get it off of his chest. It had been on his mind for weeks at the time, so maybe if he talked about it, he’d be able to think of other things.

He didn’t expect to get an answer, much less a chance to do so.

 _“No touching it.”_ His boyfriend had instructed for what must have been the millionth time, even as he slowly handed the soul over and let it rest in his hands. _“No moving it either. Just… hold it. Okay?”_

_“Aww, don’t worry! I promise I won’t!”_

It had been odd, to hold the soul in his hands. He knew that it wouldn’t be like the others with his boyfriend’s background. It had glitched around a lot, and sometimes instead of looking like a whole soul it would look like a mere fraction of it (it had reminded him of Geno’s soul), but he hadn’t dared to ask about it at the time. It had been warm, and it had pulsed steadily in the air above his hands. He had cradled it with extreme care, even though he couldn’t touch it.

 _“I can feel your magic flowing through it.”_ He had said once he finally looked up from the soul to its owner. _“Does it feel weird? To have your soul in my hands?”_

 _“It feels weird to have it be out at all.”_ The other had huffed, almost grudgingly- but he had had a small blush on his face at the time, so he knew that it had to have felt at least _somewhat_ good.

Although, he hadn’t been able to return the favor. He had never thought that he’d ever have the opportunity to.

Until recently, that is.

And now, Ink was wondering how on Earth he was going to ask Error about if he wanted to hold Ink’s recently acquired soul.

“Stop it.”

“Huh?” Ink blinked, looking up at Error from where he sat in the other’s lap. Error’s legs were on either side of him, his arms wrapped around him and his head tucked over Ink’s. There was a mild glare of annoyance on his face, but Ink found it really cute.

“We’re supposed to be watching the Season Finale.” He huffed, pulling Ink a little closer. “It’s very important. Pay attention.”

“Okay.”

But Ink couldn’t pay attention, because his mind was stuck on trying to figure out how to ask Error about this. How would he be able to convince Error to go along with it? Was convincing even a good way to do it? What about bribery? Should he even try to purposefully get on his good side to do this, or would Error decide that that was a betrayal and not talk to him for a month? Because that had happened before, and it hadn’t been fun.

Apparently, Error had had enough now, because the next thing Ink knew Undernovela was shut off, and Error had him hanging in his strings to turn him around to look at Error.

“Okay, what’s going on?” He asked, and just as Ink opened his mouth to deny it, Error pushed on. “Don’t lie to me. Out with it- what has your attention? What in the Multiverse could _possibly_ be more important than Undernovela?”

Well, he might as well do it now.

“I want you to hold my soul.”

“... You want me to hold your soul.”

“Yeah!” Ink grinned. “And maybe hold yours again, if you’re up to it?”

He didn’t have to explain that he was curious about how it would feel- Error knew him well enough by now, and Ink _had_ been trying all sorts of things now that he had a soul. He had even convinced people to use different kinds of magic on him just to experience the feeling, seeing as he had been immune to them before, so Error most likely wasn’t all that surprised about this.

After studying Ink for several moments, Error let Ink fall into the ground.

“Just this once?” He asked gruffly, a small hint of a blush on his cheeks. Ink blinked in surprise, not expecting him to even consider the option. 

“Just this once.” Ink promised, absently reaching for his scarf to write the words down. 

“Same rules?”

“Same rules.” Error hesitated for a long time, his fingers twitching as he shifted a little where he sat. Finally, and begrudgingly, he sat in a more comfortable position and gestured for Ink to bring his soul out. Ink did so without hesitation, offering it to Error before Error had even brought out his own soul. He seemed to hesitate at the sight of it, staring at Ink’s soul as though it would shatter if he so much as made the wrong move.

Which was silly, because Ink himself had lived through all kinds of attacks that Error had thrown at him and was perfectly okay, but oh well.

Error finally pulled out his soul, slowly but gently placing it into Ink’s outstretched hands while taking Ink’s out of his own to hold. A shiver suddenly ran up Ink’s spine at the odd feeling of the transition- he could feel _exactly_ how powerful the hands that cradled his soul were, even as they gently handled it in such a way that Ink knew no harm would come to it.

Error’s soul still glitched and pulsed warmly in his hands, just as it had last time, but it felt echoed now. It felt like Error’s magic encased his very being, surrounding him from every angle and shielding him from the outside. He could feel the magic pulse softly at the same time the soul did, and it made him feel warm and… safe.

Feeling safe was a new thing, he begrudgingly admitted to himself. Ever since he had gotten a soul, things that hadn’t scared him before would terrify him. His life _actually felt_ like it was on the line now, and although being at home or around his friends in the doodle sphere made him feel safe, he couldn’t deny that he felt _much_ safer like this.

Granted, he also felt far more exposed than he had ever wanted to be, but he trusted Error. 

Like Error trusted him.

“Did it feel like this last time I held your soul?” He couldn’t help but ask, tilting his head. He jolted when he could feel Error clearing his throat to speak, and the vibrations that were used to create the glitched sounds tingled on his own neck almost like it was mirrored off of Error.

“Not quite.” He said slowly, looking a little uncomfortable. He shifted, and Ink could feel where Error was moving on his own body. “Because we’re holding each other’s souls, our magic formed a loop of sorts. I could feel your magic, but it wasn’t as strong as this is.” He shrugged, and Ink repressed the need to do the same with extreme difficulty.

“Is this why you don’t want me to touch it?” Ink couldn’t help but ask. “Because you feel everything your soul feels? That’s an actual thing that happens?”

He hadn’t believed it before, not really. Dream had tried to explain it to him numerous times, but Ink could never actually grasp the concept of having something that could make him feel things without actually touching his bones. Now that he was feeling it though, he believed those words with a little more than awe.

Error didn’t respond to his questions, but he didn’t need to. Ink already knew the answers. He _knew_ , now.

Ink closed his eyes and allowed himself to soak in this odd but calm feeling of warmth and peace. He did his best to commit it to memory, because he knew that he wouldn’t get the chance to do this again. 

Unless Error _wanted_ it to happen, but Ink knew that the chances of that happening were just as low as Error giving up on destroying the Multiverse.

He opened up his eyes and looked up at Error, who was staring down at Ink’s soul in his hands. He looked hesitant and torn between something- although about what, Ink didn’t know.

“Everything okay?” He asked, genuinely concerned as Error’s eye lights snapped up to look at him. He almost looked like a kid whose hand had been caught inside the cookie jar, so Ink went on. “We can stop if you want to.” 

Instantly, Error shook his head vigorously, surprising Ink. Last time he had been so very, very uncomfortable that he had leapt at the chance of stopping, but now he didn’t want to stop.

“I…” He shifted, and Ink squirmed a little at the odd feeling the movement gave him. Error froze at that, just for a moment, before swallowing and continuing. “Can I do something?”

“What is it?” Ink tilted his head, and he could almost see the shivers running up Error’s spine at the movement.

“Just…” A blush slowly grew on his cheeks. “Something that…” He mumbled the rest of it, ducking his head. Ink probably would have teased him about it (he looked so cute), but he was also curious, so…

“Of course you can!” He beamed, and Error looked back up at him.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Yeah! Do it!”

Error stated at him for a bit longer, as if to try and see if Ink was lying, but in the end he looked down and lifted one of his hands up to his cheeks. Slowly, he summoned a single string and plucked it off. Error made sure that his movements were very clear and gentle as he lowered the string towards Ink’s soul. Using a single hand, he expertly wrapped the string around Ink’s soul twice before softly tying a knot right below the two bumps. 

Ink’s breath hitched at the odd feeling, but it didn’t feel constricting or bad. In fact, it felt more like a comforting support, and before he knew it Error was giving Ink back his soul, retrieving his own to put it back in his chest.

Ink wanted to ask what it was, why Error had done that, what it was supposed to do, but Error had moved before he could speak and pulled him into a big and tight hug. Ink blinked multiple times in shock, but in the end he relaxed and returned the embrace.

“You okay, Error?” He asked when he realized he could feel Error shaking a little. “If you’re done with contact, that’s okay.”

“No.” Error held him tighter, shaking his head even as he took a deep breath. “Just… try not to get into too much trouble, okay?”

“Okay.”

Later, after they finished actually watching the season finale and after Error kicked him out to have some ‘alone time’, Ink realized that he actually felt a little different. 

It wasn’t bad, nor could he figure out if it was good, but it felt alright. It felt like Error was always with him, and the feeling of safety that Ink had previously found while they had been holding each other’s souls was still present- just the tiniest bit weaker. The amount of comfort that he found in it was surprising, to say the least, but he really liked it.

But for now, it was time to track down Dream and see what had been going on while he was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I know that a lot of you are going to be asking the question about why Error did that, so I’m just gonna come out and say it-
> 
> Error is terrified for Ink.
> 
> Error was actually the third person that Ink told about getting a soul, his parents being the first two. Ink was really excited about it, but Error didn’t know what to think of it. Had Ink changed because of it? Was he still himself, or was he someone new? Would this change everything? He didn’t know. 
> 
> Error was cautious because he didn’t know how Ink would act now that he has a soul, so he watched Ink through his screens to see what had changed. He literally saw Ink talk with Cross and Dream, and watched as he traveled to the world Nightmare was attacking only to break down because he felt strong negative emotions, without wanting to feel them, for the first time. 
> 
> Error tried to chase after Ink, but as stated in ‘Feeling Something New’, Ink tried to run away from his feelings by teleporting to a new AU after he ran from the world where the fight was. It took a while before he found Ink, and when he did Ink was about to take his own life.
> 
> Well, he didn’t know if it would actually take Ink’s life (it wouldn’t, actually, but he’d be in a coma for almost a year if he did destroy his soul), but that’s what he believed. Even if Ink had changed, he didn’t want to lose him, so he stopped him. He watched Ink cry himself to sleep, sad even when he was smiling, and that effected him.
> 
> With the knowledge that Ink hadn’t changed, not really, he knows that Ink’s strong. He’s battled with him before, but now he also sees Ink as fragile. When Ink just gave his soul to Error without hesitation, it told Error that Ink really, truly didn’t know how dangerous it was for him now that he had a soul. Error could see that Ink didn’t understand the gravity of the situation, and with what he had seen so far (he had been keeping an eye on Ink 24/7 just to be sure that he was doing okay) he knew that he had to do something.
> 
> He was hesitant to do it, since it was Ink’s soul, but Ink gave him permission. So he used his string, which he can always feel, and wrapped it around Ink’s soul. Now he can feel when Ink’s in danger, if he’s terrified or happy, everything based on the magic coming from Ink’s soul.
> 
> Ink doesn’t understand the danger he’s in, but Error does- and he’s not ready to lose Ink. He’s not ready to let go- nor will he ever be. If Ink can’t properly protect his new soul, then Error will.
> 
> And.... yeah. That’s basically what happened and why Error did what he did.  
> I hope you liked the story!


End file.
